Signal device



E. A. MILLER ET AL SIGNAL DEVICE July 10, 1928.

Filed Jan. 4, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H differ-17am V July 10, 1928.

E. A. MILLER ET AL S IGNAL DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1924[72 0672 $0715 Edgar/1. Mi/ler d fi/evelawoA. James.

d gfforney.

Patented July 10,1928.

UNITED STATES PAT OFFICE.

EDGAR A. MILLER AND CLEVELAND JAMES, OF PHILADELPI-IIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SIGNAL DEVICE.

Application filed January 4, 1924. Serial No. 684,311.

ons or other vehicles to prevent collisions from fast moving vehicles inthe rear. In all cases, the device depends for its illumination uponextraneous light and, inpractical use, from the head lights of theapproaching vehicle which is to be warned of coming danger.

By the employment of a danger or cautionary signal of this character, noattention or. care is required to maintain it in operative condition andhence it is not only inexpensive to maintain in use, but it isthoroughly reliable in operation.

In some forms'of signal apparatus of this general character, thereflected lightis faint andv insuflicient for reliance on darkand foggynights, and especially where the luminosity of the headlights of theapproaching vehicle is of a low candle power; and in other cases, thereflected light beam is so deflected away from the approaching vehicleor dispersed to such extent as to render it inadequate to meet therequirements as to. efliciency. v 1

By the employment of our improved construction of signal device, theabove defects are overcome and the light beam is reflected directly backwith full intensity upon the approaching vehicle and. brilliant in redor other color significant of the danger or necessit for caution.

ith the above andother objects in view,

the nature of which willbe more fully under- 1 stood) from thedescription hereinafter, the invention consists in the novelconstruction of signal devices, as hereinafter more fully described anddefined in the c aims.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the course oflight rays striking mirrors placed at an angle of more than ninetydegrees with one another; Fig. 2 is a similar diagram with the mirrorsarranged at an angle of ninety degrees with one another; Fig. 3 is adiagram in plan of a series of concentric mirrors having their adjacentreflecting surfacs arranged at angles of ninety degrees with one anotherand with circular transparent ribs interposed between the mirrors ofeach pairand embodying the broader principles of our invention; Fig. 4is a cross sectional diagram through the same; Fig. 5 is a front viewofa danger signal embodying the features of construction of Figs. 3 and4 showing the zone of illumination by the use of colored transparentribs; Fig. 6 is 'a similar view to Fig. 5 but with the use of coloredtranslucent ribs whereby an increased area of illuminationv is secured;Fig. 7 is a front or face view of a danger signal device constructed inaccordance with our invention; Fig.- 8 is a transverse section of thesame taken on line 88 of Fig.7; and Fig. 9 shows amodification of theinvention.

Rays of light 4, 4, striking a pair of mirrors l, 1, placed at an anglegreater than ninety degrees with one another, as shown in Fig. 1, willnot be reflected in'lines parallel with their path of incidence andhence will be dispersed; but rays of light 4, '4, striking a pair ofmirrors 2, 2, placed at an angle of ninety degrees, as shown in Fig. 2will be reflected back in parallel lines. Rays from any source withinthe planes of the mirrors 2, 2, and in a plane at right angles to theline of intersection of the planes of the mirrors,

2, 2, will be reflected back to their source; so that a pair of suchmirrors whose planes. of reflection are placed vertically one above theother will have a wide horizontal range of reflection, and a pair ofsuch mirrors whose planes of reflection are placed horizontally side byside will have a wide vertical range of reflection. Placed either way,the range of such a pair of mirrors in the direction of or parallel withthe intersection of the planes of the mirrors, is limited to the lengthof the mirrors. A series of concentric mirrors 3, 3, (Figs. 3 and 4),placed at angles of ninety degrees with one another will be not only acombination of horizontally and vertically ,pl'aced mirrors, but ofmirrors placed at all angles between the horizontal and the vertical, sothat a series of concentric mirrors so constructed will reflect back toits source light from any source within the reflecting planes of themirrors.

The portion of such a combination of concentric mirrors that wouldreflect light back to any source when not directlyin front of it is thatarea of the mirrors lying along a line of intersection, such as 7 oftheplane A rib. 6 (Figs. 3 and 4) of colored transparent material placedbetween the mirrorsof each pair will color'the-refiected light, so thatthe 'area 8 will appear colored from a position adjacent to the sourceof the light. But this area 8 is, as before state compafativelysmall,and a combination of the concentric mirrors with colored transparentribsis, therefore, only of use in providing for both vertical andtransverse capacities for reflection.

It willcnow be understood thatwhen the rib 6 is of highly transparentmaterial oflering no serious resistance to passage of the light rays andthe plane of the face of the signal device is exactly at right angles tothe source of light so that every portion of the mirrors operate tofully reflect the light, the device as a whole wouldbe quite efficient;but this is only an ideal condition, as the signal device is fixed andthe automobile providing the source of light is approaching at almostany angle and under those actual conditions, the eflicient operation isnot possible. This objection would be SlDlllJIlOIB apparent in caseswhere the signal evice was movable as when constituting-a tail light orsignal of another vehicle and especially when not traveling on a narrowroadway.

If,'however, We substitute for the colored transparent rib, a rib ofcolored translucent material, such. as colored celluloid having somedegree of light obstruction, then the luminous or light reflected areawill be very greatly increased, as-graphically shown at 8 in Fig. 6. Infact, the entire reflecting area of the device will be colored. Thisresult is achieved for the reason that, while with a :transparent rib 6only the rays striking along the plane of intersection 7 are reflectedback to their source, witha translucent rib 10, (Figs 8), it, itself, ishighly illuminated by the light reflected upon it-from the mirrors, andthe reflection of said highly illuminated rib appears over the entirearea of the mirrors and is reflected back as, a circular area or ball ofbrightly colored light, thus operating as a highly eflicient dangersignal.

To achieve this desired result, it is not necessary to place the mirrorsat exact right angles, but the angles may be much smaller, if sodesired,without seriously affecting the operative efliciency.

When the circular coloredrib 10 is translucent, not only is thetransmitted light pass- .ing through it reflected back to the source,

as in Fig. 5, but the highly illuminated sur- 05 faces of thistranslucent rib reflects back source.

that the entire signal device reflects, back I a brilliant colored lightfor its whole area instead of a relatively small area, irrespective ofthe position of the approaching light Because the device has thispossibility of reflection of color fromthe illuminated translucent ribinstead of using the rib only as a colored transparent element, theconical reflectors are given capacities which otherwise they would nothave, that is to have capacity to reflect the colored light for thegreater-"part or all of their circumferential area. While we havereferred to the function of a single circular colored rib and itsassociated circular reflectors having inclined reflecting surfaces, itwill be mani fest that the advantages will be enhanced many fold byincreasing the number of'concentric reflectors and ribs; and incommercial practice, a plurality of ribs and" reflectors are employed,the latter being preferably twice as many as the former. 1

e will now refer more specifically to a commercial form of our improvedsignal device, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The front 1 surface of theglass is thrown outward to the sides rather than in a line at rightangles to the plane of the reflector, whereby the white'light does notinterfere with the colored reflection of the translucent ribs comprisedof the parts 10 and 14. The angle between the annular mirrors of a pairmay vary' from sixty to ninety degrees; The glass front has a backing 12of wood, cement, plaster of P- 's, vulcanite fiber, or othercomposition, or other suitable material poured or molded, and if thelatter, affixed by adhesive means, as at 11. The whole is enclosed in asheet metal case 13, as shown,

leaving only the reflecting area exposed.

While the device, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, may be directly arranged inposition and exposedwhen used, nevertheless, if desired, it may beprotected and kept clean by being placed within a'shelte'r with a glasswindow, or such a window (not shown) may be provided-ori the deviceitself.

The signal device, as a whole, may be secured, where needed, in fixedposition in a suitable'location at the side of the roadway, as by beingattached to a post; and in case of use upon the rear of a vehicle, itmay be provided with any suit-able attaching means, but such means arenot material to our in- ,vention and hence have not been illustrated.

-While we prefer that the angle, between the reflecting surfacesconstituting a pair,

shall be ninety degrees, it will be' readily un derstood that this isbecause, when directly approaching the signal device in a line at rightangles to the plane of its concentric reflectors, a maximum efliciencywill be secured; but because the reflecting surfaces and ribs areannular and the light rays from the sourcewill, in mostinstances, varyfrom such ideal alinement, the angle made between the reflectingsurfaces may be less than ninety degrees, and especially so in view ofthe fact that the light reflections from mirrors to colored rib and ribto mirror may involve different courses of travel before being projectedback to the'source. For this reason, we do not restrict ourselves as toangles less than nlnety degrees, though no angle materially cgl'reaterthan ninety degrees may be employe F In the particular illustratedexample of our device, we have shown the employment of two annularcolored translucent ribs, but as before stated, a greater number of ribsand reflectors may be employed; and similarly, it will be understoodthat one pair of annular inclined reflecting surfaces and one coloredrib structure yvill suifice 'for the broader example of our invention.In cases where more than one such set is employed and preferably whenthree or more sets are employed, we-may change the color of theoutermnst rib by employing a green translucent band 10, with the resultthat by so doing, the brilliancy of the enclosed red reflections will beenhanced and more clearly defined. Of course, the particular colorsemployed is not a material factor, though we prefer to use red as thedominant color,

as lt lS appropriate to danger and is far more brilliant to the sightthan green and hence more readily perceived by an occupant of a fastmoving automobile.

It is further to be understood that while the annular reflectors andribs are best made as circular, we do not restrict ourselves in thisrespect,.because these parts may be more orless polygonal, since acircle is only a polygonal with an indefinite number of sides and it ismanifest that our improvements may be efficiently adapted to a polygonalform, for example, of eight or more sides as found suitable.

Furthermore, while it is desirable that the colored annular rib material10 be arranged to exactly divide the angle between to the source that itshall pass freely through.

the rib to the other mirror of the pair, as wouldbe the case were therib wholly trans parent. While we have referred to the use of celluloidas suitable for -the annular colored ribs, other materials may beemployed, such as prepared paper, tracing cloth, vellum, sheet gelatine,etc., when colored, by way of examples.

It will now be apparent that we have devised a novel and usefulconstruction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated asdesirable, and while we have in the present instance shown and describedthe preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice togive satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that wedo not restrict ourselves to the details, as the same are susceptible ofmodi-' fication in various particulars without departing from the spiritor scope pf the invention.

'we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A signal device which is illuminated 'by light from anotheranddista'nt source and reflects said light back to the source inmodified condition, consisting of a reflector composed of a plurality ofconcentric refleeting surfaces arranged in pairs respec-- tivelyinclined at an angle to each other to form an annular V shapedreflecting groove, and an annular rib extending outwardly from thebottom of each of the V reflector grooves to substantially divide, saidgrooves into two annular reflecting parts and said annular ribs being ofcolored translucent material adapted to receive and permit the passageof part of the reflected light from each Having now described ourinvention, what of the reflecting surfaces immediately disposed onopposite sides of the annular ribs.

2. 'A' signal device which is illuminated by light from another anddistant source and reflects said light back to the source in modifiedcondition, consisting of a reflector composed of two concentricreflecting surfaces inclined'at an angle to each other to form'anannular V shaped reflecting groove, .1

made ofglass coated to formniirrors and.

having between them a transparentannular different color from those ofthe remaining hollow glass rib in which is arranged the annular coloredtranslucent ribL.

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein further, the annularcolored rib is arranged within and so as .to substantially bisect the Vshaped reflector'groove throughout its circular form? 4. *A signaldevice which is illuminated5 'clined in opposite directions to provide aby light from another and distant source and reflects said light back tothe source in modified condition, consisting of a reflector comprisedofa plurality of concentric annular reflecting surfaces all fully exposedfrom the front, the adjacent surfaces inclined in opposite directions toprovide a plurality of pairs of concentric refleeting surfaces forming aplurality of annular V shaped reflecting grooves, respectively ofincreasing diameter, and a cir-.

cular rib extending outwardly from the bottom of each of the V reflectorgrooves to substantially divide said grooves into annular inclinedreflecting parts, said ,ribs being of colored translucent material andeach adapted to receive the light from their respective pairs ofreflecting surfaces. 1,

5. A signal device which is illuminated by lightcfrom another anddistant source and reflects said light back to the source in modifiedcondition, consisting of a re flector comprised of a plurality ofconcentric annular reflecting surfaces all fully ex posed from thefront, the adjacent surfaces inclined in opposite directions to providea plurality of pairs of concentric reflecting surfaces formingaplurality of annular V shaped-reflecting grooves respectively ofincreased diameter, and anannular rib extending outwardly from the.bottom ofeach of the V reflector grooves to substantially divide saidgrooves into annular-inclined reflecting parts, said ribs being ofcolored translucent materialand each adapted to receive the light fromtheir respective pairs of reflecting surfaces, and wherein further,

7 the-outermost annular colored rib is of a annular colored ribs.

'6. A signal device which is illuminated by light from another anddistant source and reflects said light back to the source in modifiedcondition, consisting of a reflector comprised of a plurality ofconcentric annular reflecting surfaces all fully exposed from thefront,- the adjacent surfaces inplurality of pairs of concentricreflecting surfaces forming a plurality'of annularV shaped-reflectinggroowes respectively of increasing diameter,and a circularrib extendtheV reflector grooves to substantially divide said grooves into annularinclined re- -flecting parts,- said ribs being of colored translucent,material and each adapted to 'ing outwardly from the bottom of each ofreceive the light from their respective pairs of reflecting surfaces,and wherein further,

all of the plurality of reflecting surfaces are formed of mirrored glassin an "integral structure and said glass str ctur provided with meansfor holding the several colored annular ribs in position.

7. A signal device which is illuminated by light from anotherandfdistant source and reflects said light back to the source e inmodified condition, consisting of a plurality of reflecting surfaces setat an angle'to each other, said reflecting surfaces arranged about acentral ,point in a circle so that the relative angles between thereflecting sur-' I faces at difierenb places about the center assuresdiflerent angles-with reference to us'e, and colored translucent meansarranged 111 the spaces between the reflecting sura horizontal planewhen the device is in faces through, which the reflected light is EDGARA; MILLER.

CLEVELAND A. as

